This invention generally relates to filtering installations for gases containing entrained dust particles and similar solid matter; in particular it concerns an arrangement of the type which uses a plurality of elongate flexible filtering elements, e.g., bags, which are suspended vertically and held resiliently taut while passing gases through the bags from their lower ends for filtering entrained particles. A specific application of such an installation where this invention can be practiced is to filter and clean the exhaust gases of a blast furnace. Such filtering is desirable and in some cases necessary to protect the environment, workmen and equipment. In certain other industrial operations such as smelting and other chemical processes where valuable solids or metals are handled, it is desirable to remove and recover valuable suspended solids which are entrained in product-gases or exhaust-gases.